Tuesday, May 07, 2013

I woke up this morning to news out of Cleveland of three girls (now women) who were kidnapped and held prisoner, one for over ten years. Being who I am and doing what I do, I read several accounts and watched some video on the subject. To say the least, the details were gripping – and we barely know anything at this point. (I would also like to go on record as saying that I’m thrilled at the escape/rescue of these unfortunate souls. What a marvelous thing for them and their families.)

I’m sure like many other crime novelists, I couldn’t help but think what a marvelous basis for a plot the story would make (all the while feeling quite guilty about my thought processes). But it really could make a gripping novel, wouldn’t it?

Having a very large graphic design project on the go – not to mention the two novels I’m currently writing – I’ve put in several hours of work, but all the while thinking about the situation in Cleveland. Since it’s getting late in the day, I decided to flip over to writing my weekly post to Type M before the dinner hour is suddenly on me.

One of the things that occurred to me is that this story will see print, probably multiple times. In fact, it would not surprise me if there are enterprising writers probably already at work on it. If a writer of sufficient stature has pitched an idea to a publisher, I can easily imagine contracts for a non-fiction book may already being drawn up. Let’s face it, first book out of the blocks will probably win this race.

Something else got me thinking, though. Which would be more difficult to do: a novelization of this story, or a reporting of it, ie. a non-fiction account?

Never having written non-fiction, I find it an intriguing concept. I do know what it takes to write a novel. There is the initial idea, the finding of appropriate (and compelling) characters to populate the plot, and then there are the myriad of details, the blind alleys, and all those other things and ideas that crop up in completing and polishing a manuscript until you have a finished product. It is a very hard slog.

In writing non-fiction, there are numerous difficulties, as well. First and foremost, you have to wait and watch the story develop, and with the justice community involved, you will have to wait for those slow wheels to grind. Also, at the very least, you have to get hours of interviews, wade through the eventual court transcripts, fill out the details.

Writing non-fiction (I get this from people who do it) is more of a research project that involves writing, as opposed to fiction which is a writing project that (usually) requires research.

I think it takes a very specific kind of person to do either, and rare it is to find a writer who can do both well. For me, I would find it the height of frustration to wait around as more information slowly comes to light over weeks, months, even years. With a novel, as long as you don’t get a writer’s brain cramp, you can just keep sailing along at your own speed.

I will certainly be keeping my eye on this story, and I won’t be able to keep myself from cogitating on how I would spin what I learn into a plot for a novel (which I will probably never write).

But what is really serendipitous about this story coming out now is that one of my current novel projects actually involves a kidnapping/hostage situation. You can bet I’ll be taking notes.

3 comments:

I'm reading _Good Prose:The Art of Non-Fiction_ by Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd at the suggestion of an editor friend.

I am surprised by how much of the coaching on prose and story presentation in this non-fiction book translates directly to fiction. It seems obvious after reading it that a well-cast story and clean language is immersive.

I'm certain you and the Type M crew could do well in non-fiction crime as well.

Good stories take the eye for perspective: what is the story here?

That distillation seems functional in the fiction and non-fiction story.

I don't know about writing non-fiction. I have a really tough time telling any sort of story and not embellishing it – even just a little. It goes without saying that good writing is good writing and you need certain knowledge and chops to be able to pull it off, and keep readers hooked.

You're soooo right about honing in on what the story is, regardless of what you're writing about. If you can't do that, you'd better learn before you hang out your shingle as a writer.

Thanks for the tip on that book. I will certainly check it out. I'm always up for learning new things.

Dear Rick: This event seems almost too obvious to use in fiction at this point in time. However. Do you remember a case where a then 14-year-old who was kidnapped at a much younger age finally escaped. He also rescued a 5-year-old when he realized the toddler faced the same future as he. One of our many TV crime series used the basic plot, but the ending was less up. Didn't see the connection until now. Yours truly, Toe.

Rick Blechta writes on Tuesdays

Barbara Fradkin writes on alternate Wednesdays

Sybil Johnson writes on Alternate Wednesdays

Donis Casey writes on alternate Thursdays

John Corrigan writes on alternate Thursdays

Charlotte Hinger writes on alternate Fridays

Frankie Bailey writes on Alternate Fridays

Vicki Delany writes on the second weekend of every month

Mario Acevedo writes on the 4th Saturday of each month

Aline Templeton

Aline Templeton lives in Edinburgh in a house with a balcony overlooking the beautiful city skyline. Her series featuring DI Marjory Fleming is set in beautiful Galloway, in South-west Scotland. alinetempleton.co.uk

Rick Blechta

Rick has two passions in life, mysteries and music, and his thrillers contain liberal doses of both. He has two upcoming releases, Roses for a Diva, his sequel to The Fallen One, for Dundurn Press, and for Orca’s Rapid Reads series, The Boom Room, a second book featuring detectives Pratt & Ellis. You can learn more about what he’s up to at www.rickblechta.com. From the musical side, Rick leads a classic soul band in Toronto. Check out SOULidifiedband.com. And lastly, being a former line cook with an interest in all things culinary, he has a blog dedicated to food: A Man for All Seasonings.

Barbara Fradkin

Barbara Fradkin is a retired psychologist with a fascination for how we turn bad. Her dark short stories haunt the Ladies Killing Circle anthologies, but she is best known for her award-winning series featuring the quixotic, exasperating Ottawa Police Inspector Michael Green, published by Dundurn Press. The ninth book, The Whisper of Legends, was published in April 2013. Visit Barbara at barbarafradkin.com.

Sybil Johnson

Sybil Johnson’s love affair with reading began in kindergarten with “The Three Little Pigs.” Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in Mysterical-E and Spinetingler Magazine, among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family. Find her at www.authorsybiljohnson.com.

Donis Casey

Donis is the author of six Alafair Tucker Mysteries. Her award-winning series, featuring the sleuthing mother of ten children, is set in Oklahoma during the booming 1910s. Donis is a former teacher, academic librarian, and entrepreneur. She lives in Tempe, AZ, with her husband, poet Donald Koozer. The latest Alafair Tucker novel, The Wrong Hill to Die On (Poisoned Pen Press, 2012), is available in paper or electronic format wherever books are sold. Readers can enjoy the first chapter of each book on her web site at www.doniscasey.com.

John R Corrigan

John R. Corrigan is D.A. Keeley, author of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent Peyton Cote series, which is set along the Maine-Canada border. Bitter Crossing (summer 2014) will be the first of at least three novels in the series. Born in Augusta, Maine, he lives with his wife and three daughters at Northfield Mount Hermon School in western Massachusetts, where he is English department chair, a teacher, a hockey coach, and may very well be the only mystery writer in North America who also serves as a dorm parent to 50 teenage girls. A Mainer through and through, he tries to get to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, as often as possible. You can see what he's up to by visiting www.amazon.com/author/DAKeeley or dakeeleyauthor.blogspot.com or on Twitter (@DAKeeleyAuthor).

Charlotte Hinger

Charlotte Hinger is a novelist and Western Kansas historian. Convinced that mystery writing and historical investigation go hand in hand, she now applies her MA in history to academic articles and her depraved imagination to the Lottie Albright series for Poisoned Pen Press. charlottehinger.com

Frankie Bailey

Frankie Y. Bailey is a criminal justice professor who focuses on crime, history, and American culture. Her current project is a book about dress, appearance, and criminal justice. Her mystery series featuring crime historian Lizzie Stuart is set mainly in the South. Her near-future police procedural series featuring Detective Hannah McCabe is set in Albany, New York. Visit Frankie at frankieybailey.com.

Vicki Delany/Eva Gates

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers. She is the author of more than 25 books, including the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year Round Christmas cozy series, the Constable Molly Smith books, standalone novels of suspense, the Klondike Gold Rush series, and novellas for adult literacy. As Eva Gates, she is the author of the national bestselling Lighthouse Library cozy series from Penguin. Find Vicki at www.vickidelany.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor/

Mario Acevedo

Mario Acevedo is the author of the Felix Gomez detective-vampire series. His short fiction is included in the anthologies, You Don’t Have A Clue: Latino Mystery Stories for Teens and Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery, and in Modern Drunkard Magazine. Mario lives with a dog in Denver, CO. His website is marioacevedo.com.